Jul 21, 2026 · 38 min · 12 segments
On Sunday 12th July we had James Spencer from Compassion UK with us. He's an excellent communicator and brought us a message about the kingdom of God as well as sharing about the work of Compassion in…
And there's some people who don't, so that means what I'm gonna say is doubly important.
So as you may know, we are developing and growing a link with a specific town in Kenya called Kisumu, a city, uh, near Lake Victoria.
V- Victoria.
And obviously, uh, one of the main reasons we're developing this link is 'cause we do feel God has led us to this.
That's obviously the critical thing.
But I wanted to say a little bit about why.
Why are we kind of, why are we developing this link with this place so far away? And obviously, I think we can all agree that mission is an essential part of Christian life, isn't it? It's really important that we reach out, uh, in our families, isn't it? We reach out in our local area, we reach out nationally, we reach out internationally.
That's all a part of kind of what we do.
Um, but I was thinking just a moment ago, what makes watching England so very exciting? I know, I know, it's painful as well, but what makes watching them so exciting? What makes it more exciting than watching Belgium or the USA? Well, what makes you all, or many of you, stay awake into like the early hours of the morning watching a sport that some of you don't even watch for the rest of the year, just like me? Well, fundamentally, isn't it, it's that we feel connected to what's happening there, don't we? We feel that whatever's happening there, um, we belong to.
There's some sort of relationship with us and those people playing that game of football.
We feel like maybe they represent us.
We feel like it's an extension of us, and that's what drives us to stay up in the middle of the night, watching some people kick a ball, when we know that people are gonna kick a ball for the next, you know, century, aren't they? And it doesn't really mat- it does matter.
[laughs] Um, but we're on a better team, aren't we, as the church? We're a part of the Kingdom of God.
And when we look around the world, we don't just see like different nations and countries that we're in competition with, and it's great that the World Cup brings us together over something, but what brings us together is the Kingdom of God and the Church of Jesus Christ, isn't it? When we look ac- around the world, we see our team playing everywhere.
And that's our team, and that's what we wanna support.
So how do you pick of the, you know, millions, billions of things God is doing around the world? Well, we think it's important that you take everything that makes us as a church family unique and special, all the talents and gifts and amazing things that you guys have got, and find a place where that finds real connection in the world, isn't it? And that's what we think Kisumu has brought us.
Um, and through that, you know, we've sent some trips over there, we've had some time over there, and we feel there's been this two-way exchange, that there's been some real e- exchange, a rich exchange of prayer, of learning, of, uh, and friendship with people in Kenya.
And there's some people who don't, so that means what I'm gonna say is doubly important.
So as you may know, we are developing and growing a link with a specific town in Kenya called Kisumu, a city, uh, near Lake Victoria.
V- Victoria.
And obviously, uh, one of the main reasons we're developing this link is 'cause we do feel God has led us to this.
That's obviously the critical thing.
But I wanted to say a little bit about why.
Why are we kind of, why are we developing this link with this place so far away? And obviously, I think we can all agree that mission is an essential part of Christian life, isn't it? It's really important that we reach out, uh, in our families, isn't it? We reach out in our local area, we reach out nationally, we reach out internationally.
That's all a part of kind of what we do.
Um, but I was thinking just a moment ago, what makes watching England so very exciting? I know, I know, it's painful as well, but what makes watching them so exciting? What makes it more exciting than watching Belgium or the USA? Well, what makes you all, or many of you, stay awake into like the early hours of the morning watching a sport that some of you don't even watch for the rest of the year, just like me? Well, fundamentally, isn't it, it's that we feel connected to what's happening there, don't we? We feel that whatever's happening there, um, we belong to.
There's some sort of relationship with us and those people playing that game of football.
We feel like maybe they represent us.
We feel like it's an extension of us, and that's what drives us to stay up in the middle of the night, watching some people kick a ball, when we know that people are gonna kick a ball for the next, you know, century, aren't they? And it doesn't really mat- it does matter.
[laughs] Um, but we're on a better team, aren't we, as the church? We're a part of the Kingdom of God.
And when we look around the world, we don't just see like different nations and countries that we're in competition with, and it's great that the World Cup brings us together over something, but what brings us together is the Kingdom of God and the Church of Jesus Christ, isn't it? When we look ac- around the world, we see our team playing everywhere.
And that's our team, and that's what we wanna support.
So how do you pick of the, you know, millions, billions of things God is doing around the world? Well, we think it's important that you take everything that makes us as a church family unique and special, all the talents and gifts and amazing things that you guys have got, and find a place where that finds real connection in the world, isn't it? And that's what we think Kisumu has brought us.
Um, and through that, you know, we've sent some trips over there, we've had some time over there, and we feel there's been this two-way exchange, that there's been some real e- exchange, a rich exchange of prayer, of learning, of, uh, and friendship with people in Kenya.
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